When the Indiana Pacers signed free agent center Andrew Bynum, the news received a lot of attention from the basketball community. Bynum has had a troubled past and now he's brining that baggage to a peaceful Indiana team.

He'll only regret it if Bynum hurts the chemistry of the team, James, and don't expect that to happen. Bynum has played with the most demanding star in the league, Kobe Bryant, and he's won two championships with the Lakers, so he understands the demands he's taken on by signing with the Pacers. Without absolving Bynum of his responsibilities over the last season and a half, his decision to sign with Indiana shows that he wants to be fully engaged with a championship franchise after one and a half lost seasons with Philadelphia and Cleveland.

His new teammates aren't going to let him distract them from their focus. That was the overwhelming signal they sent with their first reaction to his signing. They've made it clear that they don't believe they need Bynum -- but at the same time they'll welcome him if he is willing to contribute.

One of the main reasons I picked the Cavaliers to miss the playoffs before the season was because they appeared to be relying too much on Bynum as a lead player. But this situation is perfect for him in Indiana, where not too much will be asked of him, and yet his minutes will be important. He will be contributing in a meaningful way.

If Bynum is able to provide 15 minutes a night in the conference finals, then the Pacers will be able to put pressure on Miami around the basket at both ends of the floor for 48 minutes. They now have the potential to attack the Heat's glaring weakness for every minute of the game with All-Star size and skills. It is a huge advantage, and yes, the pun was intended.

Yes I know he's a project. Yes I know he's a liability for a locker room. But when healthy and in the right state of mind, he has shown that he can be one of the most dominant centers in the game on both sides of the ball. Remember, in his All-Star season (2011-2012), he averaged 18.7 ppg, 11.8 reb, and 2.5 blocks per game; numbers that would garner him a starting role on all but a few teams in the NBA today. There is potential, but it needs to be found again. But if Indiana can get even the level he was playing at earlier this season with Cleveland in limited minutes, that would help their second unit immensely and relinquish some of the pressure on Hibbert to stay out of foul trouble.

Oh yeah….and they didn't have to trade Danny Granger to get a low post asset. That may be the biggest victory of them all. Now, if they still want to trade Granger, they can pick and choose their targets. Or keep him altogether (yes please, yes please).

Lance Stephenson

Stepping away from the Bynum talk for a minute and onto Lance Stephenson. Stephenson has had an impressive season thus far, even if he didn't make it to the All-Star game. He leads the NBA in triple-doubles (4) and has been a huge factor for the Pacers' success this season.

Stephenson is more than capable of joining the group this season. He leads all guards with 7.3 rebounds per game, per NBA.com, and has had four games of 20-plus points and 10-plus rebounds this season. His closest game came against the Los Angeles Lakers last month when he recorded 15 points and 14 rebounds.

It's not easy for one to complete what Stephenson has done when the squad plays team-first basketball, and you're not the main guy. But watching Stephenson rack up triple-doubles, along with the Pacers racking up wins makes it even more fun to watch the team. Having Stephenson add the 20-20 club to his résumé would give everyone just another reason to keep an eye on this rising star.

If Hibbert can focus on establishing deeper low post position on the catch, work more from the right block than the left, add in a couple low-post counter moves to his hook shoot, cut down on left-handed hook attempts, and attack the rim like a mad man in pick-and-roll situations, he can become as much of a game-changer on the offensive end as he is defensively.

And he will continually haunt Erik Spoelstra's dreams from here on out. Hibbert has the ability to become the top big man in the game for years to come if he can make these adjustments.

"This time is going to be different," a source close to James said about James' view of free agency. "If LeBron decides to look at other options it won't just be teams with cap space. He has 30 options if he wants them."

The last statement is how this relates to the Pacers. According to this source, James believes every team in the league wants him, including Indiana.

Are the Indiana Pacers Losing Their Focus?

Bleacher Report's John Dorn asks that question and goes into detail with the issue. He discusses if the Pacers should ease up on the gas pedal heading into the playoffs in order to preserve themselves for the postseason.

Inevitable as it may be, there must be a line drawn in the sand eventually. No loss is acceptable, but how many are tolerable? How close is too close? When is it time to rev the engine again?

For top-flight teams without much competition like Indiana in a sorry Eastern Conference, none of these are ever easy questions to answer. If managed correctly, it helps preserve bodies and minds in time for the season that matters most.